Tag Archives: idea

Breton stripes. Nothing adds more timeless elegance to a home


So simple, yet so chic and effective. In both fashion and home-deco, nothing oozes timeless elegance more than a Breton stripe. For as long as I remember I have owned at least one Breton jumper. Perfect for when a wool v-neck has gotten too warm, and short sleeves are too chilly. In the home it works year round. It adds to the warm and cosy feel in autumn and winter when combined with checks, warm fires, (faux) furs and candles. And in spring and summer it matches with the green of plants in full bloom, wooden patio furniture, cool drinks in elegant glass ware and flowers. Try using it not just in patterns on throws and cushions, but also on walls (horizontal!) and even ceilings or floors.

Floor, ceiling and walls. Both horizontal and vertical. Jean Paul Gaultier meets Versace meets Chanel……

Kate Collins cushion – Breton Stripes

Again used horizontally on walls – Breton Stripes

A wide, horizontal stripe adds drama – Breton Stripes

Amazing use of outside space – Breton Stripes

There’s a reason some of the greatest creative minds love them 😉

Andy Warhol loved them – Breton Stripes

Picasso (by Robert Doisneau) in Breton Stripes

Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean – all in Breton Stripes

Jean Paul Gaultier turned them into ART!

For me Breton stripes bring back memories to holidays in France with my parents and brother and sister. Throw in a pair of espadrilles and a baguette with Nutella and it’s all coming back!

Yves Klein blue


Yves Klein (28 April 1928 – 6 June 1962) was a French artist who was an important member of the  Nouveau réalisme movement. He was instrumental in the development of performance art. But he is also known for a well-known series of ultramarine blue monochrome paintings he first exhibited in Milan in 1957. This deep, lapis lazuli like, blue became known as International Klein Blue. He later used this same colour for his famous ‘Anthropometries’ series for which he covered women’s naked bodies with IKB and had them jump or fall against white linen and canvasses.

Yves Klein Anthropometries of the Blue Period

Untitled blue monochrome by Yves Klein

Today the colour is used in both contemporary and classic interior designs.

Yves Klein painted walls in an interior shot featured in Elle Décor

Yves Klein coloured coffee table and pillow cases. Photo from coralwhenblue.blogspot.com

Table revamp with IKB wall by Naomi Stein in post on Apartmenttherapy.com

An IKB painted feature wall in New York Magazine

 

Artless limited edition Melinda Chair in IKB wool

 

 

 

 

Book review: Prefab Houses


As you might know, I have a thing with prefab homes. Always have. I love the idea of a cleverly designed home, fit for a contemporary lifestyle, put up in a matter of weeks, sometimes even days. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I got this marvellous Taschen Book ‘Prefab Homes’ as a gift from friends. I am helping them with a design and install for a new bathroom and I recently had my birthday but still out of the blue they surprised me with this marvellous gift.The book is written by Arnt Cobbers and Oliver Jahn, two well-known architecture and design authors. I can highly recommend it. It’s the perfect coffee table book, with tons and tons of inspiring pictures and stories about various prefab home designs and their designers.

Prefab Houses Taschen

Prefab Home

Another page spread from the book Prefab Houses by Taschen

The book is also available in the Homevoyeurs webshop for $47,38. You might be eligible for free shipping!

Prefab Houses Taschen book

Prefab Houses Taschen book

An early example of a prefab home in the book